The Houghton Mifflin Dictionary of Geography is a comprehensive, fully up-to-date dictionary of geographic place names that also includes the major peoples, ethnic groups, and languages of the world. Developed by the editors of the American Heritage(R) dictionaries, this handy reference work puts the world and its peoples at your fingertips with more than 10,000 entries. Definitions are concise and informative, providing capsule histories of nations, regions, empires, and cities from ancient to modern times - the perfect companion to the daily newspaper and the nightly newscast. Features include: The most current population figures available for every state and country. Convenient locator maps for all nations of the world. 8-page full-color map insert with detailed, up-to-date maps of Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and North and South America; Full pronunciations and syllable divisions. Updated world currency table plus lists of the highest mountains, and longest rivers.

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Review:

It's amazing what a little bit of blue can do. Each of the more than 10,000 entries in this volume is highlighted in blue boldface, and it makes the pages remarkably easy on the eyes, which is a much-appreciated feature in a dictionary. The entries are informative and enjoyable, too. All of the important data of location, population, and concise history is conveyed without dipping into pedantry, making this an excellent choice for a family, student, or inveterate browser. This dictionary of geography is up-to-date on recent developments in Asia, Africa, and the former Soviet Union. There are also definitions for geographical vocabulary (such as berm), peoples and ethnic groups, and locator maps for all the nations of the world. Although The Houghton Mifflin Dictionary of Geography is not as exhaustively comprehensive as some geography dictionaries, it's still probably got more information than you need and is truly a pleasure to use.

About the Author:

The Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries and of other reference titles published by Houghton Mifflin Company are trained lexicographers with a varied array of interests and expertise. Most of the editors hold graduate degrees and have studied at least one foreign language. Several have degrees in linguistics or in the history of the English language. Others have degrees in science or sometimes other disciplines. All the editors familiarize themselves with the vocabulary in specific subject areas, collect materials on new developments and usage, and work in association with consultants to ensure that the content of our publications is as accurate and as up-to-date as possible.